One dead, 21 hurt in SoCal desert bus crash

Saturday

Faith Creer, 31, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a report from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's and Coroner's Division.

Several other passengers were moderately to severely injured and were airlifted to area hospitals.

The bus was heading to the gambling town of Laughlin, Nev., when it crashed about two miles east of the town of Ludlow shortly before 11 a.m., said Tracey Martinez, a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Fire Department.

"There were no other vehicles involved," she said. "It did not roll over but it did land on its side."

A woman was flung from the bus and died, she said. Eight other people received severe injuries and 13 had minor to moderate injuries.

The driver was among the injured, who were all adults.

The crash happened on Interstate 40. Helicopters and ambulances were called to take the injured to hospitals, and the interstate's eastbound lanes were closed.

Martinez said the bus had picked up its passengers at the Fox Hills Mall in Culver City.

The bus is owned by Royal American Tours & Charter of Glendale.

According to the company's Web site, Royal American was founded in 2002 and provides transportation for "event planners, tour operators, employers, casino trips, hospitals, universities, park districts, senior centers, private groups and also individuals."

It was not immediately clear what group had chartered the bus, and a man who answered the phone at Royal American's office said he did not have any details about the trip or the crash.

"We have no clue of what's going on either," said the man, who declined to give his name.

Based on a preliminary investigation, the bus driver over-corrected his steering several times before losing control of the bus, according to the coroner's report.